Stone and Cottonwood Yeah, digsheepy, that's just because stone wagons are so hard to pull ;-). Many of my outdoor creations utilize our local Lyons Red Sandstone, of which I am a big fan. To answer your question about sustainable woods, the most reliable measure we have is Forestry Stewardship Council certification. Products have labels that look like this....http://nnrg.org/news-events/news/fsc-label-types-pure-recycled-mixed..... so that you will know if a product is made from forests which have been sustainably managed or not. According to FSC labelling, wood can be 100% sustainable, recycled, or "mixed". I have reservations about the mixed designation, which is poorly controlled and poorly audited by FSC. However, the 100%, and recycled designations are as reliable as we can get these days.

digsheepy A stone wagon would be cute as yard art...but that is another tangent. OK thanks S&C that gives me a little more clarity on the whole Sustainable angle.

Stone and Cottonwood I have been installing a number of countertops made from local trees for my clients who were a bit tired of looking at granite. These work out the best visually when they are paired with cabinets which are not faced with wood. Melamine, painted, or other. For my own kitchen, I am putting some lovely. large slabs of cottonwood atop some retro, mid century steel cabinets I found on Craigslist. It is not ready for pics yet, but here is a pic of a recent kitchen we did with local, beetle-killed maple countertops.

HERE Design and Architecture I got mine unfinished and we finished them ourselves in the yard. The builder came back and installed them the following week. It's not ideal but it allowed us to have the bright green stain that we wanted for the price that our landlord could tolerate. :)

mforr I know we all seem to love the different colors for upper and lowers, but looking again at your photos I think that white will keep the space looking larger and more open. Quartz countertops like Silestone come in lots of colors and I think they have a dusky blue color similar to the stained cabinets you liked in one of the previous comments. Also a glass tile or subway tile backsplash in a muted blue tone would help without overwhelming the small space. You could bring color to your table and chairs with paint or stain to tie both areas together. Even a wood floor stained a grey blue color would look great. You don't need to tie yourself to just the cabinets to get the look you want.

Stone and Cottonwood I recall helping make some benches for a patio/grill area a couple of years ago in which very pale granite was used. It looked nice, but it had some bluish blotches. I think my client said they came from birds which had been eating the elderberries from the neighbors hedge. Another client had some very light marble benches, and we created the outdoor table for them. They were not sure which critter had left the reddish blotches on their benches, but had not been able to get them out. I guess whatever the light colored material is, make sure you can seal it very well, so that the wildlife cannot stain it?

Granite Grannies Super White is a quarzite, not a marble or granite, so you should have no problems with it outside. I would just recommend a waterproof cover for off seasons and sealing it every year, although it would probably be fine without.

Granite Grannies Stone and Cottonwood, if that ever happens again, try using Mangia Macchia sooner than later. It might help. http://www.granitecitytool.com/mangia-macchia-stain-remover

Stone and Cottonwood I actually like the fireplace as it is. However, it seems to be lost in that big, light colored wall. I see a couple of floor to ceiling pillars (half logs? Marble?) with enough mass to occupy the outer 10" or so of the wall on both sides. Yes, A nice, massive looking mantel would help. This would frame the fireplace a bit, and draw attention to your nice painting up above.

Stone and Cottonwood Carolins, Nice! The treatment really makes the fireplace and the artwork stand out, and provide a focal point in the wall.

Cold Harbor Studios This is the living space around the fireplace. The fireplace sits in the middle of the whole "living room,kitchen" space

juma decor I would do at least half the wall in stone. Get rid of the wood panels and you could put a lacquered mantle all the way across and maybe tie in the charcoal grey leather to the color you will paint the wall. Just a thought.

Stone and Cottonwood Hmmmmm. Minimalist, clean lines........... Is there anyone in your area who slices trees lengthwise? The right shape and kind, nicely polished could draw one along the hall, yet not distract with visual clutter?

decofriend Thanks delfina for your kind words. Sounds like we experienced the same life lessons:)

marylgregory I would move the bench elsewhere and in its place put a console table -rectangular - with simple lines. Then I'd duplicate this farther down the hall past the arched doorway. Above each table I can see matching round mirrors and a pair of buffet lamps on each with colored shades. Opposite each table I'd hang groupings of art, all with same or similar framing. And last I'd hang a striking chandelier, preferably ball-shaped, between the two consoles. The symmetry and repetition will creat formality; simple lines will blend with your transitional style; and art groupings and colored lampshades will add interesting color. Of course, you wouldn't want a third console table in the entry hall, so you could replace it with a small chair beside a chest with picture over.

Stone and Cottonwood Hi Freddy, I am going to take a shot at being a heretic here, but what about......... not granite at all? I am not exactly sure what color cherry espresso will be, but it sounds darker. If you would like a dark colored work surface, how about something like reclaimed black walnut? John Boos (www.johnboos.com) sells pre-made countertops in butcher block style for about the same price as mid-range granite. The texture and grain would be different enough from the cabinets, and from the floor to stand out just enough.

Stone and Cottonwood Well, I would agree that they need SOME care, but so does granite. There are pros and cons to each. Is your client enjoying the walnut counter you made?

alwaysdesigning Review your options because there are so many kinds (speckled, flowing, striated) then colors, and also consider what backsplash you are using. I would pick a backsplash first because it is visually important and then choose the granite. You don't want them to compete for attention; which one (backsplash or countertop) do you want to command attention (i.e., busy or colorful)? The other will be the opposite complement, in a calm and serene color or pattern. Take a backsplash samplke with you when choosing the granite. Go to the granite yard and look at the slab, not just a small sample in a store. Your countertop template can be placed to best complement the pattern in your kitchen. Good luck
[houzz=Artistery in East Meets West]
[houzz=West Seattle Contemporary Kitchen]
[houzz=Oakley Ave. Kitchen]
[houzz=Kitchens 1]
[houzz=Kitchens 2]
[houzz=Kitchen Remodel]

Stone and Cottonwood Hi. Your search for the proper metal sculpture for that area reminded me of the designs of one of our local sculptors, Boris Sarikov. His work graces many homes in Aspen, Vail, and Cherry Creek. www.Sarikov.com for examples of his designs. The tall, narrow space also seemed to call out for a beautifully grained and figured slice of a tree from your local area, perhaps one with a bit of a story behind it to give your home a bit of local history. For example, "the tree pictured below was planted in 1873 by a little boy named Eddie Wolcott, when he was 10 years old. Eddie was the son of settler family number 10 to come to Boulder for farming in 1862........." The slice in the picture I attached would be too big, but if you look around your community you will probably find a tree service or sawyer creating similar slices that you could choose from.

Stone and Cottonwood Here is a link to a Sarikov design created as an entry door, but the same concept might work very well for the spot above your mantel piece. http://www.sarikov.com/Design/Design 1.html

Keerthi Naidu Hi babycatcher, able to find a use for that spare mirror? What'd you end up doing with it?

Stone and Cottonwood Well, I see that this was quite some time ago. If the old mirror is still hanging around the garage, what about making a frame for it with some nice, reclaimed wood from your local area, and hanging it in the hall or another spot that needs to be visually expanded? Wood from a local tree service or small sawmill often has interesting history, and can be quite beautiful in comparison to the wood you get from the big box hardware stores.

Stone and Cottonwood One of my clients chose this solution. Granite countertop which is wrapped with locally reclaimed elm slabs for comfortable seating along two sides.

Stone and Cottonwood Here is an image demonstrating the walnut idea as mentioned above

sid62 Hi JdM, yes it does makes sense, thank you. I did wonder if I will not use Baltic brown as splash all over the wall where the canopy rangehood will be and the rest of the areas that if ever there is another option and just to bring in Baltic brown as you said 4 inches up.

sid62 Oh just so not to confuse you, the Baltic brown here only comes in 60 cm width slab . I am in Asia. So it's really limited, I do not like the idea of having it joined on the wall where the canopy range hood will be, so I thought of putting another type of tile. Quite complicated. Sorry if I confused you. Thank you so much for all the help, really appreciate it, so much to decide on due to limited materials.

Stone and Cottonwood The overhang off the island cabinet is a good idea. Many of my customers have homes where the kitchen island was made with a formica countertop that ended at the edges of the cabinet. The overhang with stools gives you a good place to feed kids and help with homework in that 90 minutes between when school gets out, and when they have to go to (band/soccer/girlscouts/etc.). I have attached a pic of one particular example: Single dad with 4 kids can now use this kitchen to maximum effect.

olldbobbi Another thought would be to put the bar on heavy duty, locking casters, so it can be rolled out of the way when not needed.

Stikwood I think STIKWOOD would look great over the bar. You can use any wood to make it, then stikwood over top to give it a contemporary, or rustic look! Check out our reclaimed barrel oak. Stikwood is 100% real wood, EASY to install, DIY, cost effective solution that yields extraordinary results for ordinary spaces. Good luck! :)

Stone and Cottonwood Kate, can you post a picture of the room? I cannot quite visualize.

Alchemy/Design Studio Hi Kate! Absolutely not, you do not have to center the dining table to the kitchen opening. I would, however, make sure to have something going on on the other side of the dining room where the opening to the bar area is... even something as simple as a nice area rug, a server on one of the walls, and a dining chair on either side of the opening to the bar area. By creating a "completed" look on the smaller side of the space, you'll keep it from looking empty & lop-sided, while also creating a nice visual from the kitchen. Hope this helps!
Cheers!
www.alchemy-design-studio.com

Stone and Cottonwood I like the idea of paint for the cabinets, but I sorta see them with a strong color to contrast with the pale countertops, and muted green of the walls. Breakfast bar could be changed out for a nice slab of locally reclaimed, polished wood.

Stone and Cottonwood Distressed green on the island cabinet could work well.

Stone and Cottonwood In that case, be BOLD! Fire-engine red with painted black drawer pulls! ;-). Perhaps even yellow flames? Of course, I am a guy, and I like that kind of stuff.

Stone and Cottonwood But Kristi, that is the beauty of this particular project: It's all getting redone in a year, so resale value is not a consideration. Also, it is only a year, so a nod to the "wild side" might be refreshing. We never talk about it, but we men often feel a bit stifled by muted colors, neighborhood covenants, and considerations of resale value. Just imagine the enthusiasm of the men in the household (if there are any), if this were even mentioned as a possibility. "The year that the kitchen was UTTERLY COOL" could go down in family history ;-)

Stone and Cottonwood ....... And when time for the remodel in earnest, go with something like Kristi is suggesting, which I also like.

Stone and Cottonwood Hi Diane. I recently helped a couple redo their kitchen in a small space, and they used some unusual solutions. I can post more photos of this project on our pro page if you are interested. The countertops shown were reclaimed from a fallen silver maple tree in their town, and served as the local "tree house tree" for 4 generations of kids in the neighborhood. The painted cabinets helped them save money, while visually opening up the space a bit.

Stone and Cottonwood Well, my first impression might be something that conveys the feeling of a natural element: Stone or tile that looks a bit like stone, but nothing with too much of a glaze to it. 12" travertine squares might work well with the quartz countertops, depending on the cabinet color (medium to dark?). I live in Colorado, where we have lots of sandstone and granite outcroppings in the landscape, and terra cotta tile also works well indoors. That would present a contrasting color to the quartz countertops, and so could match well with lighter colored cabinets. Both of those textures would work well on the enclosed porch as well, and give the idea of "bringing the outside in" just a bit?

diane2260 hmmmm....thank you for giving me something to think about when I shop for flooring. I like the outdoors on the inside and I love Colorado too! thanks

Sharon Awesome job! Well done on pulling it all together. Very stylish.

Stone and Cottonwood I like what I see so far, but may I present an alternative to the stone for the peninsula? It looks like a good opportunity to soften the edges with a polished wood surface, which might be more comfortable to sit at, while providing a nice contrast with the stone on the countertops beyond. The combination of wood and stone has been one of the most popular looks recently for our customers here in Colorado.

Stone and Cottonwood Hi Jean. My customers are usually most successful visualizing the entire kitchen in "blocks" of color and texture. For example, if they are considering some of our solid wood countertops, they might choose something for the cabinets other than wood. Painted or melamine cabinets work well as a contrast in between wood floors and wood countertops, whereas stone or tile countertops might work fine with wood cabinets. Once you have the overall vision of colors and textures, it is time to zero in on particular products which can fill those roles in your new kitchen.

Dytecture It also depends what is happening in the rest of the house, you might want to tie the new kitchen with the old or think ahead what look you are after in the end.